Fang Yuan returned to Fox Fairy Blessed Land.
The breach-of-contract compensation from Burning Heaven Demoness left him quite satisfied.
First, all the immortal materials that Burning Heaven Demoness had recently provided to Fang Yuan were written off — he would not need to repay anything. Second, she had lent him three Flame Path Immortal Gu, along with a large number of mortal Gu to go with them.
These three Flame Path Immortal Gu, combined with the countless mortal Gu, were exactly what he needed to assemble the Flame Path Immortal Killer Move — Nirvana Fire.
Speaking of which, Burning Heaven Demoness had been rather unlucky.
She had funded Fang Yuan's refinement of Star Thought Immortal Gu, expending a great deal of rare immortal materials in the process. In the end, Fang Yuan had essentially refined it for free, with no obligation to repay Burning Heaven Demoness anything.
Although those immortal materials had all been tampered with by Burning Heaven Demoness beforehand, Fang Yuan had nonetheless gained a wealth of practical experience. He was now thoroughly familiar with the entire process of refining Star Thought Immortal Gu.
Because of their covenant, Fang Yuan had long known the specific details of the Immortal Killer Move Nirvana Fire.
Which immortal gu served as the core, how many mortal Gu were needed as support, the sequence in which the Gu Insects were supposed to activate one another — he was fully aware of all of it.
However, using this killer move came with a prerequisite: it required consuming Fire Path Dao Marks on the Gu Immortal's body.
This detail had been cleverly concealed by Burning Heaven Demoness — a small trap embedded within their covenant.
She intended to use it to strengthen her hold over Fang Yuan.
After all, Fang Yuan had no Fire Path Dao Marks on his body. If he wanted to use Nirvana Fire to regenerate, he would need Burning Heaven Demoness to personally cast it upon him.
Fang Yuan's original plan had been to completely overhaul Nirvana Fire — to swap its core to different immortal Gu while achieving the same or similar effect.
The ideal candidates for the new core would be immortal Gu already in his possession.
This kind of modification was extraordinarily difficult. Even a typical Wisdom Path Gu Immortal would not have the confidence to attempt it, but Fang Yuan was brimming with assurance.
The reason was simple: hidden within his Fox Fairy Blessed Land was Zhi Hui Gu.
The power and utility of a Ninth Transformation Zhi Hui Gu were simply wondrous beyond description.
Fang Yuan had no choice but to pursue this path.
The Life-Death Immortal Aperture Rebirth Method could restore him to life, but it could only be used once per immortal aperture. After rebirth, he would no longer be able to employ Zhi Hui Gu.
If Fang Yuan could modify Nirvana Fire so that it allowed him to freely shift between immortal zombie and living human, then Zhi Hui Gu would continue to provide him with incalculable assistance.
"Burning Heaven Demoness is strapped for cash. She needs to pay out of her own pocket to refine immortal Gu and fulfill the Zombie Alliance's mandatory quota. That's the only reason she lent me these three Flame Path Immortal Gu. Under normal circumstances, even if I had asked directly, she would never have handed them over so easily. With these three Flame Path Immortal Gu, my calculations for the modification will be vastly easier!"
Fang Yuan was deeply grateful for this.
The Zombie Alliance's grand Gu formation plan had unexpectedly made him one of its beneficiaries.
In the days that followed, Fang Yuan bathed day and night in the aura of Zhi Hui Gu's light, devoting all his effort to calculations and focusing entirely on modifying the Nirvana Fire Killer Move.
Speaking of which, he had already gathered enough Strength Path immortal zombies, refined a sufficient number of Effort Mortal Gu, and obtained a single sixty-year Lifespan Gu.
With all three in hand, he could activate the Life-Death Immortal Aperture Rebirth Method at any moment, become a living Gu Immortal, and obtain a Superior-grade Life-Death Immortal Aperture Blessed Land.
However, after acquiring Nirvana Fire, Fang Yuan was no longer content with just that.
Though Burning Heaven Demoness's intervention had prevented him from scheming against Hei Loulan to obtain a Supreme-grade Blessed Land, fate had dealt him an alternate hand — he had obtained Nirvana Fire instead. With any luck, he could continue to harness Zhi Hui Gu going forward.
Whether this gain outweighed the loss, or vice versa, Fang Yuan could not yet calculate clearly.
While Fang Yuan was busy refining his modified killer move, Zhao Lianyun had already secretly set foot in Desolate Valley.
She was the key to rescuing Feng Jiuge.
And the sole member of Spirit Affinity Hall's rescue team accompanying her was a single person.
Feng Xian Prince!
An Eighth Transformation cultivator — more than enough to handle any challenge.
On the surface, he was a Righteous Path Gu Immortal of Northern Plains, the non-blood-affiliated Supreme Elder of the superpower Palace Clan. He bore no Golden Bloodline, and because of certain past entanglements with the Palace Clan, he had lived in solitary exile for years on end.
In reality, however, he was a disciple of Spirit Affinity Hall. He was the most critical spy that the forces of Central Continent had painstakingly planted in Northern Plains at enormous effort and cost, with his primary responsibility being the Eighty-Eight True Yang Building.
Under normal circumstances, Feng Xian Prince could not be moved. If even the slightest clue were discovered, centuries of his undercover work would go to waste.
But this was a matter concerning Feng Jiuge, and that changed everything. Feng Jiuge was Spirit Affinity Hall's poster figure — even now, he already overshadowed all of Central Continent. Once he advanced to the Eighth Transformation, given his talent and ability, he would inevitably become a powerhouse among Eighth Transformations in time. His survival meant more interests for the hall. His death or survival would upset the existing balance among Central Continent's Ten Great Ancient Sects — and even reshape the entire landscape of Central Continent's Gu Immortal world.
For that reason, Spirit Affinity Hall did not hesitate to activate Feng Xian Prince as their hidden piece, unleashing everything they had to mount a rescue!
Feng Xian Prince and Zhao Lianyun — one immortal, one mortal — walked leisurely through Desolate Valley.
"My lord, may I ask you something?" Zhao Lianyun said as they traveled. "If I succeed in rescuing Lord Feng Jiuge, will I be able to become Spirit Affinity Hall's current Fairy?"
Feng Xian Prince wore a mask, his figure blurred as if wreathed in mist, his true face unrevealed.
He chuckled in a low voice. "Becoming Spirit Affinity Hall's current Fairy isn't so simple. However, if you do manage to rescue Feng Jiuge, I'd say the chances are nine out of ten. I've heard that his daughter Feng Jinhuang is the leading candidate for the position. But once you become her benefactor — the one who saved her father — she will very likely withdraw from the competition of her own accord."
"Is that so..." A gleam of hope flickered in Zhao Lianyun's eyes.
Though she possessed the soul of an adult, she had been remarkably cooperative since arriving at Spirit Affinity Hall — holding nothing back, unfailingly obedient.
She had come to deeply understand this world.
Without power, no matter how brilliant one's wits, one was nothing more than a rootless duckweed — one gust of wind would blow you away, leaving you to drift helplessly with the current.